1. Field of the Invention
The disclosure relates generally to multiprocessor computer systems and, more specifically, to a method and system for maintaining data coherency within a multiprocessor computer system.
2. Description of the Related Art
The issue of data coherency exists when data is distributed throughout a multiprocessor computer system. Data coherency becomes an issue if more than one node/processor of the multiprocessor system attempts to access and/or modify a particular piece of data at nearly the same instant in time or during an overlapping time period. Many different methods have been employed to ensure data coherency, and these methods are typified through the use of a multitude of requests from a requester processor to the other processors and between the other processors in the multiprocessor system to ensure data coherency. For example, if a data line is not found in a cache of a particular processor, the processor may send requests to each of the other processors in the multiprocessor system to determine if the data line is found in one of the caches of the other processors. These transactions/command traffic consumes processor/system resources, and as a result, increases latency within the multiprocessor system. There is, therefore, a need for a system and method that can efficiently maintain data coherency within a multiprocessor system while also reducing transactions and, thus, latency within the system.